If you love to bicycle for exercise, you may be frustrated at having a car at all. However, getting to work without getting sweaty and dirty will make it easier to maintain a professional polish. Getting an e-bike can make your commute a lot easier.
Safety First
You will need a decent helmet no matter which bike you ride. If your work hairstyle doesn’t allow a helmet, consider getting to work a few minutes early and fixing your hair at the office. Makeup can also be easily applied or touched up at the office.
If you have to ride on busy streets, consider investing in pads that will fit your work uniform or everyday work clothes. Protect your knees and elbows on busy streets; no matter how much attention you pay on the road, one inattentive driver can put you on the pavement.
Finally, make sure your bike has reflectors and lights fore and aft. Do what it takes to be seen. If you are safer riding on the sidewalk, you may need to adjust your commute time to get out before sidewalks get congested. Check local laws to make sure you don’t get a ticket while riding on the sidewalk.
Read more: Best Electric Bikes Under $1000
Check Your Range
How far will one battery charge take you? If your bike needs to be charged once you get to work, you can easily pick up another charger and plug in your bike at the office. Another option is simply to ride with a spare battery in your gear.
Check your range on a weekend. See if you can get all the way to the office and home with a full assist. If you can’t, the charger at the office can help you out on a hot afternoon. Even if you plan to pedal for at least part of your trip, knowing that you can make the whole trip with full battery assist will increase the likelihood that you will set out on the bike on a Monday morning.
Gear Up The eBike To Protect Your Work Clothes
If you carry your computer in a backpack, you will need a waterproof cover to slip over it on rainy mornings. A quality rain jacket and a ball cap is also an excellent choice to protect you from rain and guarantee your field of vision, especially if you wear glasses.
On the bike itself, your first line of defense is fenders fore and aft. If you don’t have fenders, make sure you add a strapping bar to the back and cover it with a plastic trash bag on rainy days. Without this protection, every puddle will splash rainwater and street debris all over your pants, which makes for a long and miserable day.
If you’re riding to work, you will probably also use your e-bike for running errands. That carrying bar will become very important while you haul home your consumables.
Check Your Speed
You probably won’t be the only rider in the bike lane, but you may well be the fastest. In addition to following all the traffic laws and following the lights, do your best to keep your speed down unless you have a nice long stretch of a clear path. Startling other riders and folks in cars can put everyone at risk.
Talk to your employer about changing up your hours if you find that you’re struggling with
- Lots of congestion on the bike trail
- Too many cars
- Excess fumes
on your morning ride. You may be able to change up your schedule, work 4 ten hour days, or work 4 nine hour days and a 4 hour day at another point in the week. By implementing these changes, you can get out when it’s cooler and less crowded.
Tires
The wider your tires, the more contact you will have and the more battery each commute will take. However, it’s important to note that e-bikes can be hard to notice on the bike path. Having fat tires will draw the attention of other riders, and getting seen will keep you and everyone else safer.
If you live in an area that includes lots of rain, snow, or other driving hazards, bigger tires can keep you from slides, falls, and car bumpers. Check your tire pressure and tread depth each week. Remember that rubber is biodegradable; leaving your bike in the sun will kill your tires even faster.
The options on e-bikes include folding bikes. If you are interested in cycling for at least part of your commute, consider investing in a folding e-bike with a carrying case that you can take on the train so you can get some exercise during your commute!
